Forest History Society

Forest History Society
Name	Forest History Society
Formation	1946
Founder	Henry S. Graves
Type	Nonprofit organization
Headquarters	Durham, North Carolina
Leader title	President
Leader name	James G. Lewis

Forest History Society

The Forest History Society is a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving and interpreting the historical record of forests, forestry, and conservation in North America and worldwide. Founded in 1946, the organization has been associated with figures and institutions across environmental history, forestry policy, and cultural heritage, maintaining links to archives, museums, universities, and government agencies. It collaborates with scholars, practitioners, and public institutions to advance understanding of forestry legacies, land-use change, and resource management.

History

The Society traces origins to post-World War II efforts led by foresters such as Henry S. Graves, interactions with agencies like the United States Forest Service, and partnerships with academic centers including Yale University and the North Carolina State University School of Forestry. Early board members included prominent individuals associated with Aldo Leopold, Gifford Pinchot, and the American Forestry Association, reflecting connections to conservation movements and the development of professional forestry in the United States. During the Cold War era, the Society documented timber production linked to industries represented by companies such as International Paper and initiatives like the Tennessee Valley Authority. In subsequent decades it expanded collaborations with institutions including the Smithsonian Institution, the Library of Congress, and the National Archives and Records Administration to safeguard governmental and corporate forestry records. The Society’s history intersects with major events and laws such as the Wilderness Act, the National Forest Management Act, and international accords like the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, informing research on policy, landscape change, and economic development involving timber, pulp, and paper sectors.

Mission and Activities

The Society’s mission centers on documenting forest history and supporting historians, archivists, and policymakers through programs, fellowships, and symposia. It convenes workshops that attract attendees from organizations such as the Society of American Foresters, the International Union for Conservation of Nature, and universities including University of Michigan, University of Wisconsin–Madison, and Duke University. Activities include sponsoring conferences with partners like the American Historical Association, coordinating grant-funded projects with foundations such as the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and the National Endowment for the Humanities, and hosting lectures featuring scholars from Harvard University, University of California, Berkeley, and Oxford University. The Society also engages with professionals from corporations such as Weyerhaeuser and consultants involved in landscape restoration projects tied to programs by the United States Department of Agriculture.

Collections and Archives

The Society maintains extensive archival holdings, oral histories, and photographic collections documenting forestry practice, conservation campaigns, and timber industry development. Its archives include records related to individuals such as Bernhard Fernow and Ferdinand A. Silcox, organizations like the Forest Products Laboratory and American Tree Farm System, and companies including Georgia-Pacific and Simpson Timber Company. The oral history program features interviews with foresters, conservationists, and policymakers connected to events like the Great Depression timber policies and the postwar expansion of pulp and paper mills. The photographic and map collections document landscapes associated with regions such as the Pacific Northwest, the Southeastern United States, and the Amazon Rainforest, as well as projects like the Civilian Conservation Corps and timber harvests linked to the Transcontinental Railroad corridors. The Society has collaborated on digitization initiatives with the Digital Public Library of America, the HathiTrust Digital Library, and university special collections to broaden access to materials housed at repositories including the Duke University Libraries and the University of Minnesota Libraries.

Publications and Research

The Society publishes journals, books, and bibliographies supporting scholarship in environmental and forest history, often featuring contributions from scholars affiliated with Columbia University, Yale School of the Environment, and the University of Oxford. Notable publication series have examined themes tied to the Timber Wars, industrial histories of firms such as St. Regis Paper Company, and policy analyses referencing legislation like the Endangered Species Act. The Society’s journal has carried articles engaging case studies from regions including the Appalachian Mountains, the Boreal Forest of Canada, and Southeast Asian sites studied by researchers from institutions like National University of Singapore. Collaborative research projects have received support from agencies such as the United States Geological Survey and the World Wildlife Fund, producing bibliographies and annotated guides used by historians at the American Antiquarian Society and policy analysts at think tanks including the Resources for the Future.

Education and Outreach

Educational programs include fellowships and internships supporting graduate students from programs at Cornell University, Michigan State University, and Oregon State University. Outreach extends through public exhibits co-curated with museums such as the Museum of Natural History, and community programs in partnership with conservation groups like the Nature Conservancy and the Sierra Club. The Society organizes public lectures and teacher workshops aligned with curricula at institutions including the National Science Teachers Association and summer institutes sponsored by the Society for Historians of the Gilded Age and Progressive Era. Digital outreach employs collaborations with projects at the Biodiversity Heritage Library and mapping partnerships using tools developed by the National Geographic Society.

Governance and Funding

Governance is overseen by a board with members drawn from academia, industry, and nonprofit sectors, including representatives affiliated with Princeton University, University of Toronto, and consulting firms that advise regional landowners and utilities such as Puget Sound Energy. Funding sources include grants and endowments from foundations like the Rockefeller Foundation and corporate support from timber and paper companies, as well as project funding from federal agencies including the National Endowment for the Humanities and state historic preservation offices. The Society partners with international organizations such as the Food and Agriculture Organization for research programs and often collaborates on grant proposals with university partners and nonprofit entities including the International Union of Forest Research Organizations.

Category:History of forestry Category:Archival organizations